Western Hognose Snake
Heterodon nasicus
Heterodon nasicus
| Size: 1 1/2 - 2 ft |
| Distribution |
| Western half of state into the panhandle. The western hognose snake is very similar to the eastern hognose in appearance, but the rostrum (nose) is more pronounced and the belly is marked with dark black blotches. The western hognose preys mostly on toads, but its diet may also include small rodents and birds. Considered a harmless snake, the hognoses have rear fangs and a mild venom which can only cause mild inflammation similar to that of a bee sting (allergic reactions excluded). Venomous bites from a hognose are rare, as hognoses are gentle and not prone to bite. Venomous bites cannot happen from a strike alone (the fangs are set too far back). In one instance of hognose envenomation, the demonstrator held a toad previously and had not washed his hands and simply smelled like food. |